Flag this garage as inappropriateDatsun 240Z "BlueOvalZ"
Ford 289 which is very soon being replaced with a 383 (Not the Chevy, but the Ford 351W stroker version). Home-made headers, AFR 205 heads, and the typical go-fast internals. The engine is solidly mounted (along with transmission) into the chassis making is part of the chassis which greatly increased the chassis rigidity.
Transmission is a WC T-5 pulling to a Datsun R200 differential using Porsche 930 CV jointed half-shafts. Currently, at the rear wheels, the 289 dynos at 299 HP, and 260 lb/ft at 7200 RPM. It has a lot of RPM potential, but now I'm looking for more torque, and hence the reason for installing the 383. Hopefully, it will reach my design of mid 500 HP and torque fiqures at around 6500 RPM. The new heads, and almost 1" more stroke should get me close.
Chassis:
The chassis is still basic Datsun equipment. The front crossmember has been moved forward 1.25" to increase the caster for an improved camber curve. This meant that the T/C rod had to be increased in length as well. The inner bushings have been replaced with spherical rod ends on the front, with fabrication just completed for replacing all eight bushing on the rear suspension with 3/4" spherical bearings. The rear uprights and mustache bar have been replaced with a single 1/4" aluminum plate that mounts the differential, suspension, and swaybar all on one piece. The rear bushings are held independently onto this plate, separated by a turnbuckle, to allow toe adjustment of the rear wheels. Spring rate is 225 F/260 R using coilover set-up and Koni shocks.
Wheels & Tires:
17 X 11 Billet Specialties wheels with 315/35R17 tires an all four corners (DOT set-up).
Body:
Body is a home-made fiberglass creation painted in a GM Tahoe blue w/ Wimbleton white stripes
Interior:
Fabricated out of fiberglass from a once fully gutted race interior.
1971 Datsun 240Z that became a divorce recovery project. After dropping the SBF engine into the car, I found that the high...
Read More...In the Beginning
The OEM U-jointed halfshafts were swapped out for a set of 280ZX Turbo CV-jointed halfshafts. This photo shows the companion flanges of the ZXT halfshafts.
In the Beginning
The 280ZXT axle halfshafts as complete units. These worked fine for the 289 powerplant, but could no longer be rebuilt.
Porsche 930 adapter plates
To begine with, I drew up some mechanical drawings of what I wanted machined at a local machine shop. I chose to have the machining done in steps to ensure that if a problem arose during the process, that I could change the direction, and at the very minimum, be out only a few dollars rather than have the completed "bad" adapter plates charged to me.
Porsche 930 adapter plates
The original "blanks" in which I used the OEM companion flanges to set the bolt pattern for attaching the plates to the Datsun axle.
Porsche 930 adapter plates
Here I am drilling the mounting holes. The machine shop had machined an indexing ridge on this blank so that this piece would be perfectly centered onto the blank.
Porsche 930 adapter plates
After drilling the holes, I tapped them so that the companion flanges could be bolted into these pieces.
Porsche 930 adapter plates
Once the 4 holes were drilled and tapped, I took the blank back to the shop and had them counterbore a recessed area for the CV cage.
Porsche 930 adapter plates
Notice the recess cuts across the four threaded holes. The bolts that are screwed into these holes must not go into the recessed area. I had to shorten the bolts by about 3mm to prevent interference with the CV cage at full halfshaft compression.
Porsche 930 adapter plates
Next I used a CV joint as a guide for drilling the six holes needed to attach the CV joint onto the adapter plate.
Porsche 930 adapter plates
Companion flange bolted onto the adapter plate, which is bolted onto a CV joint.
Porsche 930 adapter plates
Companion flange bolted onto the adapter plate, which is bolted onto a CV joint (from the other side).
Porsche 930 adapter plates
The companion flange is bolted to the adapter, and then this assembly is intalled onto the wheel stub axle.
Porsche 930 adapter plates
The differential stub axle is bolted onto the adapter plate, which is bolted onto a CV joint.
Porsche 930 adapter plates
The differential stub axles had to be attached in a different way than the companion flanges. The differential side adapter plates had to have nut spot-facing machining so that a nut could be used to attach the studded differential stub axle onto the adapter plate.
Porsche 930 adapter plates
Final assembly of the halfshafts. The axle itself is a "Swing-A-way" axle using in dune buggy applications and is splined for the 930 axles. I had to have the axle shortened, and then the grooves re-cut for the snap rings.
